Means for clearing well-strainers.



- NO. 736,219. PATENTBD AUG.11, 190's. M. J. CLARK.

MEANS FOR CLEARING WELL STRAINERS. APPLIoATmN FILED MAR. 21, 1903.

N0 MODEL.

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, MATTHEW J. CLARK, OF oovINeroN,

Patented August 1 1, 190s.

PAT NT FFICE.

KENTUCKY, ASSI GNDR TO CLIFFORD SHAW, or oINcINNA'rI, OHIO.

MEANS FOR CLEARING WELL-STRAINERS.'

sPEcIFIcAmoN forming loart of Letters Patent No. 736,219, dated August 11, 1903.

Application filed March 21, 1903.

To all whom it may concern:

, this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in well-strainers, which are devices admitting water to the wells and tubes of suction-pumps,

. the water entering through orifices of limited size, whereby surrounding sand and gravel are held back and solid impurities kept out.

I These wells consist .of tubes which in sections of suitable lengths are attached to each other in sufficient numbers to reach down to the water-bearing level. same time constitute the strainers-that is, such of them which are opposite any waterbearing levelshave their wall provided with the orifices above mentioned. If the water is taken only from the lower part of the well, then only the lowermost section or tube would serve also as a strainer and from it the orifices would extend up as far as required to correspond to the thickness of the water-bearing strata. If there are additional waterbearing strata, inlet-orifices are also provided in intermediate sections of the tubing. These orifices in course of time become more or less clogged up, thus reducingthe receiving capacityof the well to an extent corresponding to the obstructed area. ceeds certain limits, it becomes necessary to remove these obstructions which by reason of difficult access is not readily done and therefore also expensive and interrupts the service of the well for the time being.

The object of my invention is therefore to provide means whereby such cleaning may be accomplished without requiring direct accessto the particular parts 'norwithout interrupting the service of the pump.

In thefollowing specification, and particularlypointed out in the claims following, is

found a full description of the invention, to-

These tubes at the When this area ex-' Serial No. 148,8L2. (No model.)

gether with its manner of use, parts, and construction, which latter is also illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 shows an outside view of such a strainer-section constructed as contemplated by my invention and with parts broken away. Fig. 2 is an enlarged horizontal cross-section of the same. Fig. 3 is part of an elevation, and Fig. 4 is part of a vertical section of it. Fig. 5 is a vertical section through the wall, taken on line 5 5 of Fig. 4. Fig. 6', in part of a view similar to Fig. 2, shows a modified construction, and Fig. 7 shows this construction in a vertical section through the wall and similar to Fig. 5.

In Fig. 1 of the drawings, 9 indicates one of the tube-sections provided with strainer-orifices 10, while 11 indicates one without such openings, the two connected to each other in a suitable 1nanneras,for instance,by a coupling 12. The lower open end of the tubing must be closed against sand and gravel, and such is usually accomplishedby the rock into which such lower end is set. When the lower end does not reach into a rock bed, a separate cap or shoe 13 may be used. The inlet-orifices, in form of elongatednarrow slits,are arranged in vertical rows or tiers, as most plainly shown inFig. 1, a portion or strip 14 of the wall being left intact between these rows to insure the necessary stability of the tube. These solid portions let between the rows are laterally connected to each other by the portion of the wall horizontally between the openings 10.

- However, only alternate ones of these particular portions of the wall, as shown at 15, are thus integral with the wall, while the other portions (indicated by 16) are not, and consist of independent pieces, but are so supported as to normally occupy their proper position in line with the other adjacent parts of the wall surrounding them. This support is, further, of such a kind as to permit these parts to be also moved independently of the intact parts of the wall. Since each of these independent wall portions 16 forms the lower margin or edge a of one orifice and the upper edge I) of theorifice next below, it is clear that there is in each opening at least one edge movable with reference to the other ones, which movement is sufficient to loosen and dislodge obbe connected.

The movement is a limited one, partaking more of the character of vibrations, and may be in difierent directions. In Figs. 2, 4,- and 5 it is shown in a horizontal one, and in Figs. 6 and 7it is shown in a vertical one. The support is therefore constructed according to this direction of movement. In the horizontal movement hubs 17 are provided, to which one or, as shown in this case, two of these movable pieces 16 are attached by means of arms 18. These hubs for one set of members 16 are all alined and mounted upon rods 19, which are held in position by means of suitable bearings 21, connected to the solid parts of the wall of the tube. The upper ends of these rods are fitted for the reception of an implement 22, as shownat 23 in Figs. 4 and 5, whereby they may be rocked, so as to actuate the members 16, connected thereto in the manner shown in Fig. 2. In the vertical movement shown in Figs. 6 and 7 these members 16 have at each end a trunnionjournal 24, which journals are mounted in boxes 25, secured to the solid portion of the wall. Arms 26 project from members 16, and those of one or, as shown, two tiers are all connected to a rod 27. By slightly reciprocating this rod in the direction of its length the movable members are vibrated. In either case the movement is sufficient to loosen obstructions in a manner which permits the water to carry them away. The agitating-rods 19 and 27 are carried up sufficiently high to be accessible at their upper ends, so that they may be actuated from time to time. The straineropenings may thus be readily cleared from time to time without expense and no interruption of the pump-service takes place.

Members 16 need not necessarily be considered as forming disconnected parts of the wall of the strainer-section, and they need not necessarily be of the same thickness as such wall; but, it may be assumed, the inlet-orifices being of sufficient'size, that these members 16 are simply inserted in a manner to be movable with respect to the edge of the opening surrounding them and in this manner serve to dislodge obstructions.

Having described my invention, I claim as new- 1. A well-strainer having inlet-orifices in its wall, independent members within these orifices of a size to leave a space between them and the edges of the orifices and means whereby these members are supported in a manner to render them movable with reference to the edges of these orifices.

2. A well-strainer having narrow, elongated inlet-orifices arranged in rows in its wall, the

parts of this wall separating these orifices consisting of integral and of separated portions, which are alternatingly arranged, bearings whereby the separated portions of the wall are pivotally supported on the integral wall portions and between adjoining orifices in a manner which leaves them free to be moved with respect to one of the edges of each of these orifices on either one of their sides and means for moving these separated portions of the wall.

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

MATTHEIV J. CLARK. 

